Thiele graduates from FBI course

Sheriff Lon Thiele hasn’t been one to shy away from enhancing his leadership skills over the past few years. And just last month he found himself in the middle of another prestigious training opportunity.

Thiele was one of 52 law enforcement leaders from across America to take part in the FBI’s National Command Course program in Quantico, Va. The long-time sheriff attended the training with a police chief from a small community in southern Minnesota. Thiele said they were selected by the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office.

The course was created by the FBI in 2020 as a unique training opportunity for chief executives of America’s law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 sworn officers.

“It was an opportunity to learn another style of leadership,” said Thiele. “This was amazing training. Compared to others, this would be one of the top trainings I have attended.”

The program’s purpose is to foster long-lasting relationships, increase agency effectiveness, and promote partnerships to tackle emerging crime problems across the country.

The NCC holds two sessions annually with each session one week in duration. The training includes seminars taught by experts with a format and curriculum specifically designed for smaller agencies like Steele County.

Some of the topics covered included physical wellness, psychology of leadership, First Amendment issues, stress and suicide in law enforcement and strategic leadership.

One day the group traveled to Mount Vernon where they learned about George Washington, America’s first president. Thiele was surprised to learn how often Washington failed in his attempts at leadership. “He learned from his mistakes and taught other soldiers how to increase their skills,” Thiele said. “He failed at so much, but instead of sitting back, he learned from it and went on to become president of the U.S.”

In less than two months since the training, Thiele said he has already utilized it in Steele County. One of his greatest desires is to create a succession plan for when he eventually retires from law enforcement.

“I don’t take this education to just store on a bookshelf,” Thiele said. “I want to use the training to enhance the skills of my deputies. I share whatever knowledge I bring back in regards to leadership,” he said, adding he wants to create future leaders within his department.

Thiele was complimentary to the FBI for this training geared to smaller departments. “The FBI is really looking out for smaller agencies like ours,” he said, adding the FBI is not just focused on bigger agencies.